The Crown Jewel
by feedthegrimmjows
Summary: There are some things not even the most experienced thief can steal. KuramaKeiko, mentions of YusukeKeiko, oneshot


_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho._

_**Summary: There are some things not even the most experienced thief can steal. KuramaKeiko, mentions of YusukeKeiko, oneshot**_

_I used to dislike Keiko immensely, but now I find that I have no real issue with her. I guess that just comes with time or whatever, lol. Anyway, I thought the idea of KuramaKeiko was intriguing and just thought I'd add to the small section of the YYH fandom for this pairing. It's not very long - none of my fics really are as of yet - but I hope y'all enjoy! Thanks for reading!_

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**The Crown Jewel**

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_You want her._

The voice comes, unbidden, in his thoughts. Youko had never been subtle with his comments, but now he was especially overt. _Especially _when he knows that Kurama had no rhyme or reason to actually act. Taunting him was fun, but not so much fun, as Youko wants was well.

_Want. _The word itself is a funny one, one that he would never associate with something so primal, something so inappropriate. He wants a lot of things, simple things. Things that he can actually accomplish - his mother's happiness, the safety of the world, keeping up relationships with his friends.

But not her.

No, he doesn't _want _her. He can't _want_ her. Kurama can never _want _her, because to do so would be the equivalent of reaching his hand into an open flame.

_You're funny, Kurama._

Kurama ignores his other half, for the most part. Youko enjoys taunting him, wanting to unleash his mischievousness onto the redhead's psyche. Wants to taint him in the way that he has never done before.

And there's that word again - _want_.

It's so easy to think of that word in tangent with her name.

_Keiko,_ Youko taunts from the recesses of his mind.

Kurama deals with it. _This is nothing, _he tells himself. _This is nothing._

_Sure, Kurama. Sure. _He can practically see Youko's amused derision.

There is nothing that Kurama has wanted more. This is his most selfish action, to want something that belongs to someone else. He might share a body with a thief, might be able to transform into him at times, but he can never bring him to steal something like this. Something so…pure. Innocent.

Something belonging to one of his closest friends.

It would be something so heinous that it would never be forgiven. He knows that to take _her _would be to end any semblance of a relationship that he ever had with the Spirit Detective.

The whole thing is the most blasphemous thought Kurama remembers having.

The thoughts when he pictures holding her against him, the thoughts when he thinks of how her mouth would feel against his. His memories of when she would say his name, so sweet and kind as it rolls from her tongue. So innocently, without pretense, so unlike all of the other girls that he finds himself bombarded with at school.

Her eyes are always alight with intelligence. Deep brown and caring, stern and yet soft. He prefers her hair short, thinks it suits her better. Wishes that he could run his fingers through the soft strands. Longs to make her say his name with something other than friendliness.

Kurama wonders why he thinks this way, especially when he's by himself. The thoughts are easy enough to keep at bay while he's around his friends - oh, but not when the girl herself is present. That is when the thoughts are taken to a whole other level - but when he's alone, he finds it harder than usual. No one to stop him, with Youko goading him…

_"Kurama..."_

He shakes his head, pressing his fingers against the sides of his skull. The very thought of her voice saying his name is enough to send himself into a frenzy.

_Take her, then, _Youko snaps, just as frustrated as his red haired counterpart.

Kurama ignores him, goes back to taking deep breaths as he leans back on the grassy hill that has become his nest over the past few hours. For thinking, for reflection, for brooding. All of the emotions twine together and are indistinguishable from one another, most likely because they all involve _her_.

_Pathetic. _He's not sure whether it is he or Youko that voices that particular word.

His eyes scan down the hill, looking on with barely concealed interest as Keiko lifts her skirt and dips her bare feet into the trickling stream. The sounds of the forest are alive around her - birds chirping, wind whistling through the leaves, bugs buzzing, and the ever present sound of the stream. Center of it all.

Yusuke grasps her wrist when she moves as if to fall. His dark eyes are curious and concerned, but filled with laughter and - most jarringly - adoration.

Keiko scowls up at him, her features fiercely beautiful even in her indignation.

Kurama feels something stir within him.

The sun peers down through the leaves at the two of them, brightening her dark hair and her chestnut colored eyes. She runs a hand through her hair, slightly wet with water from the stream, and gives a laugh as Yusuke tugs her along.

He fists his hands in the grass beside him, as if anchoring himself to the earth, as if preventing him from stealing what he so wants.

These thoughts, they are not welcome in this countenance he has, the air of a gentleman he has so carefully crafted.

But he cannot rid himself of him; he has tried, and was unsuccessful in each attempt.

"Kurama!" This time her voice is not in his mind, but coming straight from the source. Bright and unfettered, unabashed about anything. A slender hand waves at him, a large smile adorns her face as the sun beams down, blinding her. "Come down here and join us!"

Youko chuckles.

Kurama wants to stay rooted to the spot, like one of his demonic trees, but he can't.

He finds that he can't do anything of his own volition anymore - it all revolves around her.

"Alright," he relents, unable to do anything but.

And so he rises and makes his way to her, her responding smile and laugh the only things that soothe the beast within.

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_**End.**_


End file.
